The use of fire protection system and reinforcement materials particularly in construction for preventing and controlling the damage of fire has gained increasing importance in recent years especially for high-rise buildings and structures.
Immediate breakdown and collapse of a building during fire may be prevented by providing fire protection to structural elements particularly to wide flange columns and beams.
One good example of high rise structure that collapsed due mainly to insufficient fire protection was the World Trade Center. Based on study published by the United States' National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) dated July 2004, there is a need to develop an improved system and methodology in structural steel fire protection wherein the use of gypsum board was recommended. However, installation of gypsum boards are often difficult to install which prompted the inventor to conceived the subject invention.
One way of protecting a building from immediate collapse is featured in U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,137 wherein a beam-support junction for mounting and supporting a girder is disclosed wherein the compartments of I-beam or T-beam are filled with concrete and the means for connecting the columns to the flanges are by welding. Concrete are known to withstand heat caused by fire. However, only the compartment portions of the beam are filled with concrete aside from the fact that concrete induces a considerable amount of weight to the system particularly to the beams. Moreover, the welding operation requires more working time and manpower.
Another system for fireproofing beams in budding structures is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,811 which comprises a furring bracket being clipped to the steel beam flanges wherein the steel beam being sprayed with fireproofing coating. This spray coating, however, was proven to provide less fire protection as compared to installing a gypsum board being employed in subject invention. Another problem with this prior art is that the application of said furring bracket is limited and is designed particularly for elevator hoist system and not for wide flanged columns and beams.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a fire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams by means of a fire-rated gypsum board being secured to a specially designed encasement and lipped frames.
Another object of this invention is to provide a fire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams that can protect the building structure for up to four hours fire rating.
Still, an object of this invention is to provide a fire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams that is easy to manufacture.
Also an object of this invention is to provide a fire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams that is easy to install.
Yet, an object of this invention is to provide afire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams using lightweight materials.
Moreso, an object of this invention is to provide a fire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams engineered for high-rise buildings and structures.
Further object of this invention is to provide a fire protection system for wide flange steel columns and beams that is designed to protect beams and columns of different flange thickness.